Long Way Around
by luvsanime02
Summary: Wufei needs some sleep, but he needs a drink first.


**Disclaimer: **I don't own Gundam Wing, and am making no money off of this fic.

**AN: **Written for the January 10th Cocktail Party prompt found here: gwcocktailfriday . tumblr .com(/)post/190058451847/foodffs-the-toronto-cocktail-is-a-delicious-rye. (Without the spaces and parentheses.)

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**Long Way Around** by luvsanime02

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Sometimes, the best part about traveling is that you have no idea what's going to be put in front of you when you order a drink. At least, that's what Wufei tells himself while he browses the unfamiliar titles on the board behind the bar and then ultimately decides to order something called a 'Toronto cocktail'. He's not in Toronto right now, and has no idea why the cocktail is called that, but he's been to Toronto before and liked the city, so the drink should be fine, right?

It's just possible that Wufei has been awake for too many hours. Too many days, really.

That's his body's fault. Wufei would like to be able to fall asleep on planes, but so far, he has yet to master that trick. Whether it's because he can't sleep while upright or because he's trapped in an enclosed space with strangers, he doesn't know, but napping on planes is impossible for him.

It's probably both of those things, come to think of it.

Sighing, Wufei waits patiently for his drink and tries not to accidentally look at anyone else nearby in the eyes. The bar's not too crowded, but there are still a decent amount of people sitting around - both at the bar and at the tables - and Wufei doesn't want anyone to engage him in conversation right now. Or, heaven forbid, try to hit on him. He's just not in the mood for social interactions. Ordering a drink was about the most talking he feels like performing today.

Wufei really needs to slow down at work, he admits - to himself, if no one else. He's getting older, enough that he feels the hours spent on the road and on planes deep in his bones. He can barely sit there at the bar without thumping his head down on the bar top to rest, and that would be disgusting.

"Thank you," he mutters quietly when his drink is put in front of him. And yeah, that's really all the speaking he's capable of today. He's done.

The glass that his drink came in is weirdly shaped, he notes. It's… well, he's never seen a drink come in a glass like that, and he has no idea what category it should belong to. Whiskey? Bourbon? What's the difference between a whiskey and a bourbon, anyway?

Alright, Wufei's officially been up for too long. He can't stop his mind from going off on silly tangents. Mentally shrugging, he picks up the weird-looking drink and takes a sip. It's pretty good, actually. Smooth and sweet, but with a bitter aftertaste, and it somehow really works for him. Wufei can feel his shoulders relaxing as he takes another sip, and he's glad that his first instinct was to drop off somewhere for a drink after he left the meeting.

Ugh. That meeting was hell. Wufei is so sick of overseeing all the company offices. It sounds like a good job on paper, but in reality, every time he enters a new building, he has to deal with two kinds of people: those who want to complain about something or other to someone high up enough in the company that they can potentially change things and, even worse, those who attempt to ingratiate themselves with Wufei in the hopes of a promotion or raise.

Wufei hates people who try to suck up to him, but the really annoying part is that he can't even blame them. Of course they want a raise or a promotion. Of course they want to better themselves. Wufei just happens to be in the unfortunate position to be the person who they have to suck up to.

He needs a damn vacation. He needs a new job, except Wufei doesn't really want to do anything else. He likes his job, even, in theory. He just… needs something a little different. Maybe he can ask for a demotion?

Wufei tries to imagine his boss's face if he asked for one and almost chokes on the next sip of his drink. Maybe he will ask her, just to watch her try and decide how serious he is. Or maybe she'd already have the forms ready and berate him for waiting so long. She's a difficult person to predict.

Well, one thing at a time. Wufei finishes his drink and pays, and then slowly walks back to his hotel. He needs some sleep. He'll figure out his life in the morning.


End file.
